Carers Trust responds to Chancellor Rishi Sunak's Spending Review

Reacting to the Chancellor’s Spending Review, Carers Trust’s Executive Director of Policy and External Affairs, Joe Levenson, said:

“Now the Chancellor has revealed his actual spending plans over the next Spending Review period, it’s clear the government is still unwilling to act decisively to make the sort of urgent and substantial investment in social care that’s needed for unpaid carers right now.

“Despite welcome announcements of spending increases across government departments, there is still no clarity for millions of unpaid carers about when they will be relieved of the unbearable caring responsibilities they’re experiencing as a result of our cash-starved social care system.

“Nor was there anything today suggesting the Chancellor had reconsidered plans that will see the vast majority of money raised from the proposed Health and Social Care Levy being funnelled into the NHS over the next three years. The result is our broken adult social care system will remain as underfunded as ever, despite these welcome increases to NHS budgets.

“This continuing failure to invest in social care is a particularly bitter blow for millions of unpaid carers. They are a critical part of the country’s social infrastructure. But all too often they remain taken for granted, not recognised, listened to or supported.

“The government needs to reconsider its ongoing neglect of adult social care in Britain. If it doesn’t, the Care Quality Commission’s recent warning of a ‘tsunami of unmet need’ overwhelming our services in the coming months is all too likely to become a dreadful reality.”

Ends

Expert spokespeople from Carers Trust, and young carer case studies, are available for interview on request.  

For further information, and to arrange interviews, please contact: 

• Matt Whitticase on mwhitticase@carers.org and 07824 539481. 

Notes to Editor:

Carers Trust is a major charity for, with and about carers. We work to improve support, services and recognition for anyone living with the challenges of caring, unpaid, for a family member or friend who is ill, frail, disabled or has mental health or addiction problems.  

We do this with a UK wide network of quality assured independent partners and through the provision of grants to help carers get the extra help they need to live their own lives. With locally based Network Partners we are able to support carers in their homes through the provision of replacement care, and in the community with information, advice, emotional support, hands on practical help and access to much needed breaks. We offer specialist services for carers of people of all ages and conditions and a range of individual tailored support and group activities.  

Our vision is that unpaid carers count and can access the help they need to live their lives.